Kessié returns to Atalanta as a free agent, nearly 10 years on
Franck Kessié joins Atalanta again after leaving Al-Ahli, returning to “La Dea” almost a decade after his previous spell.
Atalanta have officially confirmed the return of Franck Kessié after nine seasons away, with the midfielder arriving on a free transfer. The 29-year-old was out of contract after the end of his time at Al-Ahli.
A homecoming after years
As L’Équipe reports, Kessié had interest from multiple Italian clubs, but he chose to go back to Italy following the end of his Saudi adventure. In his most recent season in the Saudi Pro League, he produced 12 goals and 6 assists in 42 matches across all competitions.
He also carries previous Atalanta numbers: per L’Équipe, in 31 games for the club he scored 7 goals and provided 4 assists. He has also tasted Serie A success with the AC Milan, winning the title in 2021-2022.
What this changes for Atalanta
With a free-agency move, Atalanta gain an immediately useful option in midfield—someone proven in Serie A and coming off a strong output in attack. For a team that competes at a high level, Kessié’s return adds experience and goalscoring threat in the engine room.
His comment on the choice
In the same coverage, Kessié says it felt “against nature” to leave that much money on the table with his decisions about the next step in his career, framing this return as a return to roots.
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